I spent some time working on the project the indexed RJ Reynolds' papers for the tobacco liability trials. All of this is true, but these are only the most common ingredients by weight. Most cigarettes also contain radioactive trace elements. Interestingly, I smoked all through my employment there. I did switch to a low-tar, but I was one of those who blocked the ventilation holes. An example of the ways we kid ourselves.
Dana Erika L. Walker-Arnold writes: > Passed on from some friends ... Some interesting factoids. > > What's in a cigarette? > > Cigarettes appear to be very simple products - paper tubes filled with > tobacco. But, in fact, cigarettes are highly sophisticated packages, > engineered to deliver doses of the addictive drug nicotine. > > A huge number of additives and flavourings are added to cigarettes to > make > nicotine more attractive and palatable. The European Union has a list of > over 600 additives that manufacturers may use in the creation of their > cigarettes.1 And, when smoked, cigarettes release over 4,000 chemicals, > a > number of which are carcinogenic (cancer causing).2 > > Cigarette companies have spent decades perfecting their product, which > is > why people find it so hard to give them up. Many of the additives, such > as > chocolate, sound innocent. But their purpose is to keep smokers smoking > by > making the experience as pleasurable as possible. Ingredients are also > added > to mask the smell and even visibility of 'side-stream' smoke from the > burning tip of the cigarette, to minimise discomfort to > non-smokers.3,4,5 > Unfortunately, these ingredients make it harder for non-smokers to see, > and > therefore avoid, other people's smoke. > > Below is a list of just some of the more interesting ingredients you can > find in a normal cigarette. > > Nicotine > Carbon monoxide > Tar > Hydrogen cyanide > Ammonia > Sugar > Organic acid salts > Cocca > Pyridine > Chocolate & honey > Menthol > Liquorice > Fillers > Paper > Filters > > > Nicotine > > Nicotine from tobacco leaves is the main addictive ingredient in > cigarettes. > It is delivered into smokers' lungs in a potent mixture of smoke > particles > and gases. The nicotine is rapidly absorbed into the blood and reaches > the > brain within about 10 seconds. At this point the smokers experiences a > nicotine 'hit' or 'kick' - this is when the receptors in the brain > produce > chemicals called dopamines. The brain soon comes to expect regular doses > (or > 'hits') of nicotine and suffers withdrawal symptoms when the supply is > interrupted. > > Nicotine stimulates the central nervous system, increasing the heart > beat > rate and blood pressure. This results in the heart needing more oxygen. > > > Carbon monoxide > > All cigarette smoke contains carbon monoxide - the same poisonous gas > given > off by car exhausts and faulty gas fires. Carbon monoxide prevents the > blood > from carrying oxygen round the body by binding itself to the blood's > haemoglobin. In heavy smokers, their blood's capacity to carry oxygen is > reduced by as much as 15 per cent.6 > > > Tar > > 'Tar' is the collective term for the thousands of chemicals that are > released in cigarette smoke. Tar is the sticky yellow-brown substance > which > stains smokers' teeth and fingers. It is deposited in the lungs every > time a > smoker draws on a cigarette. Smoking 20 to 60 low to high tar cigarettes > a > day will coat your lungs in 1 to 1.5 pounds of tar every year.7 Tar is > responsible for most of the damage to the health of your lungs. > > > Hydrogen cyanide > > Visible smoke accounts for only 5-8 per cent of the output of a burning > cigarette. The rest is made of invisible gases - including hydrogen > cyanide.7 This poisonous gas reduces the body's ability to transport > oxygen. > Other invisible gases, such as nitrosamines, damage the body's cells and > can > trigger cancer tumours. Cigarette smoke also contains chemicals that can > produce gene mutations that have been linked to lung cancer. > > > Ammonia > > Adding ammonia to a cigarette means that the smoker 'freebases' the > nicotine - in much the same way as a crack user takes cocaine. Ammonia > speeds up the delivery of so-called 'free' nicotine by raising the pH > (alkalinity) of tobacco smoke. Raising the pH of smoke changes the > chemical > form of nicotine so that it is more rapidly absorbed by the body. The > result > is a much stronger nicotine hit.8 > > > Sugar > > The most common tobacco additives are sugars of various kinds.9 Sugar > makes > up about 3 per cent of the total weight of a cigarette.10 When a > cigarette > is lit, the sugars begin to burn and produce a chemical called > acetaldehyde.11 Acetaldehyde enhances the addictive effect of > nicotine.12 > > > Organic acid salts > > Nicotine on its own produces smoke that is harsh and irritating. Adding > organic acid salts masks the harshness of the smoke and produces a > smoother > taste. In addition, organic acid salts (such as levulinic acid) also > make > the brain more receptive to nicotine.13 > > > Cocoa > > Cocoa contains a chemical called theobromine, which encourages the > airways > to expand.14 This 'bronchodilator effect' makes it easier for the smoker > to > breathe deeply. So they take in greater amounts of smoke and nicotine. > Cocoa > butter may also be added: it is believed to reduce the harshness of > smoke > and create a smoother smoking experience.15 > > > Pyridine > > Pyridine acts as a depressant on the central nervous system. It works > with > nicotine to boost the effect of smoking.16 > > > Chocolate & honey > > Flavourings such as chocolate17 and honey help disguise the bitterness > of > nicotine. The sweet taste makes cigarettes more palatable. > > > Menthol > > Without additives tobacco smoke not only tastes bad, it is also > extremely > irritating to the throat. Menthol numbs the throat so the smoker cannot > feel > the abrasive effect of the smoke. In this way the body's natural > reaction to > an irritant can be overcome. > > > Liquorice > > Liquorice is one of the most effective flavourings in cigarettes.18 > According to the British Association of Tobacco Manufacturers (BAT) it > produces a 'mellow sweet woody note.'18 This 'greatly enhances the > quality > of the final product.' 'Quality' flavourings play a vital role in > masking > the bad taste of low quality tobacco. Glycyrrhizin - an ingredient of > liquorice - also expands the airways, helping the smoker to breathe in > more > smoke.19 > > > Fillers > > Cigarettes contain chopped up tobacco leaf. But extra bulk is created by > adding 'fillers' made from the tobacco stems and other bits of waste > product.20 Fillers are mixed with water, flavourings and other > additives. > Some brands have more fillers than others. A high filler content makes a > cigarette less dense. The amount of nicotine delivered may be slightly > reduced. > > > Paper > > The type of paper used in the tube wrapping of a cigarette can effect > its > strength. More porous paper lets more air into the cigarette, diluting > the > smoke. This may reduce the amount of tar and nicotine that is inhaled.20 > > > Filters > > Filters, made of cellulose acetate, trap some of the tar and smoke > before > they can reach the smoker's lungs. They also cool smoke and make it > easier > to inhale. Filtered 'low tar' cigarettes (with ventilation holes in the > sides of the filters) were developed by the tobacco industry in response > to > health concerns. But evidence suggests that low-tar cigarettes do not > result > in smokers inhaling lower doses of nicotine.21,22,23 It appears that > smokers > compensate for the diluted effect of these cigarettes by inhaling more > deeply or frequently. Smokers can also block the ventilation holes in > the > filters with their fingers to increase the nicotine being inhaled. This > is > something they may do subconciously. > > > > ..................................................................... > BUPA > the personal health service > ..................................................................... > BUPA House, 15-19 Bloomsbury Way, London, WC1A 2BA > Visit: http://www.bupa.com > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/index.cfm?forumid=5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/index.cfm?method=subscribe&forumid=5 Signup for the Fusion Authority news alert and keep up with the latest news in ColdFusion and related topics. http://www.fusionauthority.com/signup.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5
